A Brisk Walk With Your Boss

"I have a confidential search for you, Andy.  We are going to replace our _______."

Candidly, as a recruiter, I love this call.  Sadly, this guy is about to lose his job but before you think I am mildly heartless - KNOW a confidential search is more about someone not fitting in with the culture and more often than not - he just does not mesh with the boss. 

Client says this and I launch into questions about what they are looking for, why do they want to manage this individual out and my normal questions in taking this assignment.

Sure enough - they just do not see a future for him - he is not part of the succession plan any longer.  Why?  The answers were initially a little evasive and I kept asking.  What was at the heart of it though?

A lack of awareness.

How do I know?  The client shared a lot but one behavior stood out, "When he is following the boss around the office and the plant - "he walks too far behind."  Really?!  Yes.  On the surface, a bit petty but the inference was based on a behavior 

You probably have the competence and the training; the hard skills.  What about the soft skills?  If you are going to succeed your boss, engage, be aware, follow along closely - even when walking.    

A Bettering Conversation

One thing I have always tried to do is steal from my clients to benefit you - the jobseeker.  I can assure you I can never get in trouble stealing from my clients like that.  It's my own career ponzi scheme.    

In fact, it is biblical.  Check this out from 2 Corinthians 3-5 (The Message) - All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. 

That may be a little bit of a stretch but having the career conversations I do, especially with those between jobs, you see new wounds and old wounds exposed.  Many times the loss of a job is the band-aid ripped off that begins the unraveling of a person's life.  

Solid career counsel isn't the only answer in some cases - but for most - you need to get on with it using this time to improve yourself.  The collected opinions of my clients from behind-the-scenes real conversations have been bettering for many and I have enjoyed the thiefdom.  Thus, the majority of the career crux blog will be devoted to stolen property from real conversations translated into idea energy for this search of yours.